Festuca plant named ‘Cool as Ice’

ABSTRACT

A new, distinct  Festuca  plant as shown and described, characterized by gray green new growth that quickly matures to blue giving the plant better heat tolerance.

Latin name: Festuca hybrid.

Cultivar name: ‘Cool as Ice’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new form of Festuca plant named ‘Coolas Ice’. ‘Cool as Ice’ is a seedling of Festuca, not patented,characterized by gray green new growth that quickly matures to bluegiving the plant better heat tolerance. The new plant was selected as aseedling by the inventor as part of an on going grass breeding programsince 2009 at a wholesale perennial nursery in Hebron, Ill. in 2010. Theselection of this plant was due to green new growth that quickly maturesto blue giving the plant better heat tolerance. Asexual, vegetativedivision propagation has been the only means of reproduction.Propagation has taken place at a nursery in Hebron, Ill. since 2011. In2011 we planted 60 plants in pots. To date these plants have remaineduniform in height. The new Festuca has shown to be stable and identicalin reproduction to the parent after making over 3000 vegetativedivisions from 2011 to 2015.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart (2001). The following traits havebeen repeatedly observed and represent the characteristics of the newcultivar. The new Festuca has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. These attributes in combination distinguish‘Cool as Ice’ from all other selections of Festuca known to theInventor. The new Festuca plant named ‘Cool as Ice’ has shown thecharacteristic of gray green new foliage that quickly turns to bluegiving the plant better heat tolerance to be unique and stable.

Plants of the new Festuca can be compared to plants of Festuca glauca‘Elijah Blue’, not patented. 1. The new Festuca has new growth in springthat emerges gray green and turns blue later in the season while plantsof ‘Elijahs Blue’ new growth is blue. 2. The new Festuca has a foliageheight of 30-35 cm compared to the height of ‘Elijahs Blue’ which has afoliage height of 15 cm.

Plants of the new Festuca can be compared to plants of Festuca ‘Casca11’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,307, patented. 1. The new Festuca has anaverage foliage length of 33 cm compared to Festuca ‘Casca 11’ which hasan average foliage length of 28.9 cm. 2. The new Festuca has thinnerfoliage colored 190 A with a width of 1 mm compared to Festuca ‘Casca11’ which has mature colored foliage 189 B with an average foliage widthof 1.8 mm.

Plants of the new Festuca can be compared to plants of Festucaamethystina ‘Superba’ not patented. 1. The new Festuca has a maturefoliage height of 30-35 cm with color of 190 A compared to Festucaamethystina ‘Superba’ which has a mature foliage height of 30 cm colorof 191 A. 2. The new Festuca has an inflorescence height of 45-50 cmcompared to Festuca amethystina ‘Superba’ which has a matureinflorescence height of 60 cm.

DESCRIPTION OF PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceand distinct characteristics of one year-old plants as grown in onegallon containers outdoors in Hebron, Ill., USA.

FIG. 1. Shows one gallon plants, blue foliage in May on an 8 month oldplants.

FIG. 2. Shows the overall plant habit and appearance in flower in a onegallon pot on a 9 month old plant in June.

FIG. 3. Shows a close up of the emerging flower in June.

FIG. 4. Shows a mature plant with the flowers aging in July.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart (2001). The plant herein described isa one year, one gallon specimen grown in full sun and irrigated inHebron, Ill.

-   Botanical classification: Festuca cultivar ‘Cool as Ice’.-   Parentage: Unknown Festuca seedling.-   Propagation: Vegetative division.-   Plant description: Overall habit of the new Festuca is strongly    clumping mounds with upright stems beginning in June and maturing to    greyed yellow colored seed heads in September. Vigor is moderate.    -   -   Plant height.—45-50 cm.        -   Plant width.—50-60 cm.        -   Flower stem diameter.—1.5 mm.-   Foliage:    -   -   Plant type.—Evergreen to semi-evergreen perennial grass,            growing in culms 30-35 cm tall.        -   Plant habit.—Tufted, basal mounds.        -   Shape.—Filiform, blade.        -   Petiole.—None        -   Apex.—Acuminate.        -   Aspect.—Upright, then arching.        -   Margins.—Entire.        -   Length.—33 cm.        -   Width.—1 mm.        -   Leaf number per shoot.—4, over 200 shoots per one gallon            container.        -   Adaxial and abaxial leaf description.—Surface — smooth,            color — upon emerging is 137 B and upon maturing is 190 A.-   Flower inflorescence:    -   -   Inflorescence type.—Terminal spike, loosely compacted.        -   Inflorescence color.—Upon opening the color is 163 D at the            tips and 199 D at the base of the spikelets.        -   Individual spikelets.—Upon opening — size — 1-2 mm across, 7            mm long, color — 163 D at the tips and 199 D at the base.            upon maturing — size — 1 mm across, 7 mm long, color — 161A.        -   Overall inflorescence spike size.—3 cm wide, 8 cm long.        -   Flower number.—Approximately 60-70 spikelets per mature            spike measuring 3 cm wide, 8 cm long.        -   Pedicel.—Number — 80, color — 161 A, length up to spikelet            38 cm.        -   Fertility.—Fertile        -   Blooming habit.—Terminal spike on up to 45 cm stems.        -   Bloom period and duration.—June into September.        -   Scent.—No scent noticed.        -   Bloom color.—161 A.        -   Roots.—Fibrous.        -   Fruit.—Seed appears identical to the species Festuca glauca            slightly larger.        -   Hardiness.—USDA Zones 4-8.        -   Disease and pest resistance.—Plants are not susceptible to            any major pests or diseases.        -   Culture.—Tolerant to heat, humidity and drought.            Regarding, Festuca plant named ‘Cool as Ice’

I claim:
 1. A new, distinct Festuca plant as shown and describedcharacterized by gray green new growth that quickly matures to bluegiving the plant better heat tolerance.